Moses Wetangula

Moses Masika Wetangula (born 13 September 1956) is a Kenyan politician and Member of Parliament representing Sirisia Constituency. He has been the Minister for Foreign Affairs since January 2008.

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Early life

Wetangula went to Nalondo Primary School, Teremi Secondary School before being admitted to the University of Nairobi, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.

Politics

He was nominated as a Kanu MP after the 1992 general election, serving until 1997. He has held several other previous public positions which include that of magistrate and the chairman Electricity Regulatory Board. Wetangula actively participated in organisation of funds-drives to set up projects on self-help basis and has been offering legal services to the local people. He has mobilised women and the youth to initiate income generating projects.

Wetangula was elected to the National Assembly in the December 2007 parliamentary election. In the Cabinet appointed by President Mwai Kibaki on January 8, 2008, in the midst of a crisis regarding the results of the concurrent presidential election, Wetangula was named Minister for Foreign Affairs.[1] Later in January, in reaction to criticism from the United Kingdom regarding the presidential election, Wetangula summoned the United Kingdom's High Commissioner, Adam Wood, to complain, and he said that "our elections don't need a stamp of authority from the House of Commons".[2] After a power-sharing agreement was reached between Kibaki and Raila Odinga, both of whom claimed victory in the presidential election, Wetangula retained his post in the Grand Coalition Cabinet named on April 13, 2008.[3]

Tokyo embassy scandal

Wetangula left his ministerial post on October 27, 2010 due to ongoing investigation on his alleged involvement in the Kenyan Tokyo embassy scandal.[4] It was alleged that instead of accepting free property from the government of Japan for the embassy, 1.6 billion shillings was withheld from the sale of Kenyan property in Nigeria and used to buy a less suitable property.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Kenya: Kibaki Names Cabinet", The East African Standard (allAfrica.com), January 8, 2007.
  2. ^ "Kenya opposition in boycott plan", Al Jazeera, January 21, 2008.
  3. ^ Anthony Kariuki, "Kibaki names Raila PM in new Cabinet", nationmedia.com, April 13, 2008.
  4. ^ Daily Nation, October 27, 2010: Kenya minister steps aside over saga
  5. ^ Expensive Tokyo embassy leads to Kenyan resignations